Crutch



Aug l, 1950 w. c. BURRY ETAI. 2,516,852

CRUTCH Filed Sept. 8, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 t foutage Allg 1, 1950 w. c. BuRRY Erm. 2,516,852

CRUTCH Filed sept. a, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented ug. l, 1950 CRUTCH William C. Burry, United States Army, Mountain Home, Pa., and Alonzo BQChristie, United States Army, Dallas, Tex.

Application September 8, 1947, Serial No. 772,829

1 Claim.

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without payment to us of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in crutches and more particularly to a cane type of crutch.

r)The ordinary type of crutch is provided with a crosshead which nts into the armpit of the user and is gripped by a handle which extends across the forked members. A crutch of this type is not only awkward to handle but produces a severe strain on the clothing with consequent wear.

@ne object of the invention is to provide a cane type crutch which is light and durable in construction, simple in operation and inexpensive to manufacture.

Another object of the invention is to provide a more easily manipulated cane crutch.

A further object of the invention is to provide a crutch which does notsupport the user at the armpit and therefore does not cause wear on the users clothing. Still another object of the invention is to provide a cane `crutch having a yieldable portion which functions both as an arm brace and a carrying member.

The invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically pointed out 'in the appended claim.

In describing our invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a partially sectionized side elevation of the improved cane crutch;

Figure 2 is a partially sectionized side elevation of the arm gripping portion of the crutch;

Figure 3 is `a partially sectionized rear elevation of the arm gripping portion of the crutch, the section being taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 2,'

Figure 4 is a top plan view showing the right arm and hand grips;

Figure 5 is a top plan View showing the left arm and hand grips;

Figure 6 is a side elevation showing the crutch supported from the edge of a table;

Figure 7 is a perspective view showing the entire crutch;

Figure 8 is a view showing the crutch being used as a support;

Figure 9 is a view showing how the improved amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757) crutch allows the user to `have free use of his hands;

I Figure 10y is a perspective view showing the construction of the arm band; and

Fig-ure ll is a, section taken through the center of the tubular telescopic section of the adjustable support shaft showing the means by which the length of the crutch may be adjusted.

Referring to Figure 1, the numeral IIl indicates the cane portion of the crutch, which comprises a straight shaft formed with inner and outer tubular sections II and I2. The inner tubular section II, which is equipped with a rubber tip II at its lower end, is provided with a plurality of equally spaced, longitudinally aligned holes I3, on opposite sides thereof, and the outer tubular `section is provided with diametrically aligned holes I4 which may register with any of oppositely located holes I3 in the inner tubular section I I and thus provide for the insertion of the bolts I5 as shown in Figure 11. The bolt I5 is composed of the screw member I6 and the nut I'I and functions to lock the telescoping inner member II at various extended positions for adjustment of the crutch to a height suitable to the user.

At the top of the straight cane portion Il] of the crutch is attached a hand grip I8 having abutments I8 and 20 and provided with a sleeve I9 which is fastened to the outer tubular section I 2 by means of a bolt I9 similar in construction to the bolt I5 described above. Above and adjacent the sleeve I9 the tubular section I2 is bent at an angle to the straight vertical portion of the tube as shown in Figure l. This angular portion of the tube, or adjustable forearm brace, designated by the numeral 20, is approximately parallel to the lower portion of the arm when flexed at the elbow as shown in Figure 8, and is tted internally with a support member 2| which is composed of a stem of circular cross section which terminates at its upper extremity in two parallelly spaced upright bearing members 22 and 22'. The stem is drilled diametrically with four or more equally spaced holes 23, 24, 25 and 25. These holes are adapted to register with two diametrically drilled holes 2l and 21 in the forearm brace portion 20 of the tube I2 and bolt 2l is used to hold the support member 2| at a desired position within the tube when it is inserted in the holes 21 and 21' and any of the holes 23, 24, 25 or 26 to provide for an adjustment in height.

The hand grip I8 is fastened to the tubular section I2 so as to conform to the natural contour of the gripping ngers and palm.

The upright members 22 and 22 are adapted to support a flexible forearm clamp 30 and are drilled with aligned holes 29 and 29 for the insertion of a rivet pin 3l which passes through a hole 32 in the rearwardly projecting member 33 on said clamp, as will be further described.

The flexible forearm clamp 30 comprises a circularly formed resilient member 34 which is adapted to partially encircle the forearm of the user as shown in Figures 8 and 9. The clamp is located in such a position as to prevent the crutch from falling to the ground when the crutch is suspended from the forearm without being held in the hand, as in the act of lighting a cigarette. By removing the bolt 2| and turning the support member 2l through 180 and also turning the forearm clamp 30 through 180 about the rivet pin 3l, the forearm clamp is adjustable for either the right or left arm.

The circular clamping member 34 is bent out- Wardly at its extremities as designated by the numerals 28 and 28 so as to more easily slip onto the forearm, and bent outwardly at its upper and lower edges, as designated by the numerals 36 and 36', so as to avoid catching in the users sleeve. The resilient member 34 is attached to the projecting member 33 by means of the machine screws 35.

The operation of the crutch is illustrated in Figures 8 and 9. Figure 8 shows the user with vu the resilient member 34 clamped to his right forearm and with his hand grasping the hand grip I8 as when using the crutch as a sup-porting member. Figure 9 shows the free use of the hand and the forearm to which the crutch is attached when not using the same as a supporting member. When the hand grip I8 is released, the crutch, which is pivotally attached to the forearm clamp 30 by the pivot 3|, may be swung clear of the arm, and the hand used for any desired purpose. 4

4 The crutch is prevented from sliding off of the table by the abutment l'' which engages the upper surface thereof and allows the crutch to be supported as shown in the illustration.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and wish to secure byiLetters Patent is:

A cane crutch comprising a tubular shaft formed with a bend therein near one end thereof dening an obtuse angle, a lower cane portion formed by one side of the angle, a forearm portion formed by the remaining side of the angle, a hand grip attached to the said tubular shaft adjacent the bend therein, a resilient surface covering said hand grip substantially conforming to the natural grip of the hand, a projection formed in the said resilient surface closely adjacent the said tubular shaft and capable of freely supporting the cane crutch when said projection suspendingly engages a Supporting member when the crutch is not in use, a telescoping bearing member adjustably mounted in the forearm portion, and a forearm clamp rockingly mounted in said bearing member and capable of substantially encircling the forearm of the user, said forearm clamp being constructed of a flexible material with an opening therein substantially parallel to the back of the hand of the user when the crutch is held in the normal walking position.

WILLIAM C. BURRY. ALONZO B. CHRISTIE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,329,915 McKenzie Feb. 3, 1920 2,192,766 Cederstrom Mar. 5, 1940 2,408,604 Brickson Oct. 1, 1946 2,439,316 Peacock Apr. 6, 1948 2,453,632 Lofstrand, Jr Nov. 9, 1948 

